Woody O Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Engine getting hot, so I unplugged the fan controller while in Grand Junction. Fan did get louder but not very loud. Ran from there to Monument Valley and everything was great as far as the engine, so thought I had monetary fixed my problem. Left there and ran that 2+ hr. grade to Bryce Canyon and running 50 instead of 65 and dropping down to first gear several times and stopping to cool down. Changed thermostat on way out here and unplugged the fan controller. Not sure if steering wheel is turning any harder. Power of suggestion, I think it is turning just a little harder to steer. So, is it the fan or is it the pump or it something else? Heading to Moab next and then to Grand Canyon where it is triple digit temperature. Hoping to contact a certain mechanic in Moab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonman Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 How hot is “too hot” and are you really really sure the radiator is clean? Some of these coaches have 3 and 4 layers ( rad, charge air cooler, ac condensor, fuel and hydraulic coolers etc) so the rad might look clean… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacwjames Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 How are you measuring the temps, some sort of display or the gauges. What temps are you seeing? On mine the temp will climb to 185, that is when the fan starts to kick in. On hot days or climbing grades it will increase to ~199 (that's when the fan is running WAO) or slightly higher but eventually start coming back down once over the grade. Some of this is due to the transmission since that cooler is adjacent to the radiator. On hard pulls my transmission temp will surpass the engine temp, even if I do drop down a gear trying to keep temps down. Eventually both temps will drop. On my last trip the highest temp I saw was on the transmission at 208F, for a short period. You should easily be able to check how clean the radiator is. Put a flash light on one side and then loot at the other. You try cleaning it, spray water from the inside then out several times. If there is not any accumulation of oil it will wash dirt out. If oil is present you may have to use a cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
top flight Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Had a similar thing happen to my engine. The radiator was plugged with dirt and oil. Used Dove dish washer detergent and hot water in a weed sprayer (new/clean) and rinsed with garden hose. Took 2 or 3 tries to get it clean. Did the trick. Put a plastic bottle over the oil blubber pipe (Utube video shows how). Still got oil on Rad. Truck shop found exhaust manifold and pipes leaking. Replaced whole exhaust system and sensors etc. (approx $9,000) and it seems to have done the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody O Posted September 7, 2021 Author Share Posted September 7, 2021 8 hours ago, Fonman said: How hot is “too hot” and are you really really sure the radiator is clean? Some of these coaches have 3 and 4 layers ( rad, charge air cooler, ac condensor, fuel and hydraulic coolers etc) so the rad might look clean… 212-215, Kenworth Sales in Idaho Falls checked the radiator and it looked okay. 6 hours ago, jacwjames said: How are you measuring the temps, some sort of display or the gauges. What temps are you seeing? On mine the temp will climb to 185, that is when the fan starts to kick in. On hot days or climbing grades it will increase to ~199 (that's when the fan is running WAO) or slightly higher but eventually start coming back down once over the grade. Some of this is due to the transmission since that cooler is adjacent to the radiator. On hard pulls my transmission temp will surpass the engine temp, even if I do drop down a gear trying to keep temps down. Eventually both temps will drop. On my last trip the highest temp I saw was on the transmission at 208F, for a short period. You should easily be able to check how clean the radiator is. Put a flash light on one side and then loot at the other. You try cleaning it, spray water from the inside then out several times. If there is not any accumulation of oil it will wash dirt out. If oil is present you may have to use a cleaner. Looking at the temps that the Aladdin is posting. I sprayed it and cleaned it before this trip. I'm stopping the coach and fast idealing at 212-215 degrees. 9 hours ago, Woody O said: Engine getting hot, so I unplugged the fan controller while in Grand Junction. Fan did get louder but not very loud. Ran from there to Monument Valley and everything was great as far as the engine, so thought I had monetary fixed my problem. Left there and ran that 2+ hr. grade to Bryce Canyon and running 50 instead of 65 and dropping down to first gear several times and stopping to cool down. Changed thermostat on way out here and unplugged the fan controller. Not sure if steering wheel is turning any harder. Power of suggestion, I think it is turning just a little harder to steer. So, is it the fan or is it the pump or it something else? Heading to Moab , and then to Grand Canyon where it is triple digit temperature. Hoping to contact a certain mechanic in Moab. This is a 2006 ISL-2 400hp Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTerry Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 Who replaced your thermostat. On a truck once I had replaced mine and it was somehow installed in a bind. It would open and then not close for a long time or not at all. Temperature would not get above 140 after climbing a hill and starting down the other side. Got into yard and and pulled housing off and found it stuck open. Could just have easily been sticking closed. If that was just replaced I would check that first. Especially if you were not having any problems before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 1 hour ago, cterryl@sbcglobal.net said: Who replaced your thermostat. On a truck once I had replaced mine and it was somehow installed in a bind. It would open and then not close for a long time or not at all. Temperature would not get above 140 after climbing a hill and starting down the other side. Got into yard and and pulled housing off and found it stuck open. Could just have easily been sticking closed. If that was just replaced I would check that first. Especially if you were not having any problems before. It is not so uncommon for even a new thermostat to be bad or way out of range. I test them in water on a stove before installing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonman Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 OK, I am going to go out on a limb here. Peoples comfort level will vary, but… Some facts, plain water boils at 212 50/50 coolant mix boils around 235 50/50 with a 15# radiator cap boiling point is 265 If it gets 215-220 AND STAYS THERE, I would continue to take the precautions that you have, slow a bit, downshift, keep the RPM’s up, and run it. A little aside. Our first pusher, Cummins ISC, 300 hp, the fan ran full time. We brought it to The chassis manufacturer and had the “2 speed” fan upgrade done. So, basically the fan ran at a very slow speed UNTIL…the water temp got to 205. Only then did the fan finally kick on. Again, YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody O Posted September 8, 2021 Author Share Posted September 8, 2021 1 hour ago, Fonman said: OK, I am going to go out on a limb here. Peoples comfort level will vary, but… Some facts, plain water boils at 212 50/50 coolant mix boils around 235 50/50 with a 15# radiator cap boiling point is 265 If it gets 215-220 AND STAYS THERE, I would continue to take the precautions that you have, slow a bit, downshift, keep the RPM’s up, and run it. A little aside. Our first pusher, Cummins ISC, 300 hp, the fan ran full time. We brought it to The chassis manufacturer and had the “2 speed” fan upgrade done. So, basically the fan ran at a very slow speed UNTIL…the water temp got to 205. Only then did the fan finally kick on. Again, YMMV. Im keeping the RPM's up, The engine will de rate at 225. 1 hour ago, Fonman said: OK, I am going to go out on a limb here. Peoples comfort level will vary, but… Some facts, plain water boils at 212 50/50 coolant mix boils around 235 50/50 with a 15# radiator cap boiling point is 265 If it gets 215-220 AND STAYS THERE, I would continue to take the precautions that you have, slow a bit, downshift, keep the RPM’s up, and run it. A little aside. Our first pusher, Cummins ISC, 300 hp, the fan ran full time. We brought it to The chassis manufacturer and had the “2 speed” fan upgrade done. So, basically the fan ran at a very slow speed UNTIL…the water temp got to 205. Only then did the fan finally kick on. Again, YMMV. 2 hours ago, cterryl@sbcglobal.net said: Who replaced your thermostat. On a truck once I had replaced mine and it was somehow installed in a bind. It would open and then not close for a long time or not at all. Temperature would not get above 140 after climbing a hill and starting down the other side. Got into yard and and pulled housing off and found it stuck open. Could just have easily been sticking closed. If that was just replaced I would check that first. Especially if you were not having any problems before. A very detailed oriented mechanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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